Improvement in the manufaotube of base-balls



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HEN-RY A. AL-DENOF MATTEAWAN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NEW YORK RUBBER COMPANY. Letters Patent No. 72,355, dated December 17, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT In Tun MANUFACTURE or BA E-BALLS.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, HENitYA. ALDEN, of Mattearvan, in the county of Dutchess, and State of New York, have invented a certain-new andimproved Compound for Base-Balls, 800.; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clcnr,.and exact description of the some.

' The body of an ordinary-base-ball is formed of yarn \r'ound tightly upon a rubber cone, and covered by the .usual leather casing. The disadvantages attending the'use of balls made'iu this manner are numerous, and very great. The yarn under all circumstances becomes either displaced, or broken, or soft after the ball has been in use for a little time, and should the ball become not, not only the exterior leather casing, but the yarn, becomes so affected by'the moisture as to practically unfit it for further use. p

The object of my invention is to produce ubasc-ballwhich shall be subject to none of these disadvantages,

and to this end it consists in forming the body of the hall of a. rubber compound, as hereinafter described, which shall have the proper hardness and elasticityto fit it for the purposes for which it is intended.

The proportions of this compound maybe'varied, so'asto give more or less elasticity, hardness, and iveight to the ball. The principal ingredients-are rubber, and lead, and cork, or suitahlecquivalcnts for the last two, with a sufficient amount of sulphur to vuloanizc the compound. I find that the best results may be obtuinedby using the following proportions: p 9

Take a quantity of rubber, equal to one half the weight it is desired to give the ball. The remaining half of the weight of the hall is formed by adding to the rubber the following-ingredients: sulphur, half an ounce, per pound of rubber; carbonate of lead, a quarter of a pound, per pound of rubber; the balance of ground cork.

This compound is first mixed thoroughly, and is then put in a. mould of the proper form, and heated to the "vnlcanizing point. As soon as it is vuloaiiized it canbe usedat once ns a base-ball, without the leather cover which is usunllyemployed, or, if desired, the -cover may be put on,

The composition of the hell, it will be perceived, is suchthet'it is impervious to and unaffected byuv'et or moisture, whilcfthe homogeneous mass of which it is composed will retain at alltimesthe-snme degree ofhardness and elasticity possessed by it when first taken from the vulcnnizing-mould. It thus has none of the defects of ordinary balls, can be used quite as cheaply, and in all respects is better adapted to, resist the rough usage to which such balls are constantly subjected. A bull made in the manner herein descr'ibed'isadapted not only for a base-ball, but for acricket-bell, and. for other similar usos.'

- Having described my invention,and the manner in which the some is or may be carried into effect,'what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- a 1. A compound, formed of rubber mixed with the ingredients herein namcd,or their equivalents, in the proportions substantially as specified, which, when vulcanized, will have the hardness and elasticity required for base-balls or other like articles, substantially as set forth.

2. A base-bull or other like article, made of the compound herein specified, the said compound being moulded to the form required, and vulcanized, substantially as set forth.

v In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, before two subscribing witnesses.

H. A." ALDEN.

Witnesses:

W. N. Rrcusnns, THOMAS ALDBIDGE, Jr. 

